Sheet delivery device for rotary printing machines



c. w. JoHNsoN SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINESv 6. Sheets-Sheet l uns March 25, 1952 Filed June 17,- 1947 March 25, 1952 c. w. JOHNSON 2,590,179

SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 17, 1947 sheets-sheet 2 C@ 1; www

March 25, 1952 c. w. JOHNSON 2,590,179

SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 1'7, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 25, 1952 oHNsoN 2,590,179

W. J SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING vMACHINES Filed June 17, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 25, 1952 c. w. JOHNSON 2,590,179

SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 17, 1947l e sheets-sheet 5 March 25, 1952 c. w. JOHNSON SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR l ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 17, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 SHEET DELIVERY DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Clyde W. Johnson, Islington, Mass., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to A. B. Dick Company,

Niles, Ill., a, corporation of Illinois Application June 17, 1947, Serial No. 755,065

' 16 Claims. (Cl. 101232) The invention relates to a printing machine, wherein a succession of sheets of paper to be printed is fed into the bite between an upper printing cylinder and a lower pressure roller. The printing mechanism may be of the type wherein the printing cylinder carries an offset blanketand wherein an ink impression is transferred to the blanket on the printing cylinder from a lithographie plate mounted on a suitable cylinder cooperating with the blanket cylinder. However, the invention is not necessarily so limited.

The general object of the invention is to provide, in a printing machine of the type specified, suitable mechanism for receiving the successive sheets at the bite between the printing cylinder and the pressure roller, and for transferring or guiding the sheets first forward and then rearward beneath the pressure roller to a suitable receptacle at the front.

More specific objects of the invention are to provide various details of structure and arrangement which enable the sheets to be guided and moved as described.

The invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the invention, taken from the right front.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View similar to Fig. 3 and showing various parts of the machine at the rear.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the machine taken from the left rear.

Y y Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the machine as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the gripper jaws and of the immediately associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the gripper Jaws.

Fig. 7I isan enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional viewftaken from the left.

Fig. 8 is'an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken from the right, the conveyors and associated parts being omitted.

Fig. 9 is afragmentary perspective view taken from the front right of the machine, the plate and blanket cylinders being omitted and the gripper jaws' being shown in their forward up the gripper jaws in engagement with a sheet of paper and moved to their rearward lower positions. Y

The printing mechanism will first be generally described, but as already stated, the invention is not necessarily limited to a printing mechanism of the type shown. Referring particularly to Figs.-l, 2, 3, 7 and 8, the main frame of the ma'- chine comprises transversely spaced right and left side plates I0 and I2, which are connected vwith each other and held in properly spacedvrelationship by tie rods and other parts and which are supported on a suitable base framework indicated generally at I4. A horizontal rotatable printing cylinder IS is provided which is mounted on a shaft I8 rotatable in suitablebearingsin the side plates. Preferably, the cylinder I6 carries an offset printing blanket 20 and the cylinder I6 will therefore be referred to as the blanket cylinder. When a blanket is provided, the cylinder I6 is formed with a longitudinal gap or recess 22 for purposes of mounting the blanket. The recess 22 is otherwise utilized` as will presently appear. v

Positioned beneath the blanket cylinder I 6 and cooperating therewith is a horizontal pressure roller 24. As shown, the roller 24 is provided with trunnions which arerotatably mounted in the end arms 28 of a U-shaped 4yoke 28 which extends across the machine between the side plates. The arms 26 of the yoke -are pivoted at their rear ends to the said side plates. Positioned beneath the yoke 28 isa cross bar 30 and a spring 3i is interposed between the cross bar and the yoke for biasing the latter upward. The tension of the spring can be adjusted by means of a knob 32. It will be seen that the spring 3I tends to bias the yoke 28 and the roller 24 for upward movement, thus resiliently pressing the roller against the blanket cylinder. By means of the knob 32 the tension of the spring can be adjusted and thus the pressure of the roller 24 against the blanket cylinder can be adjusted. The pressure roller 24 is positively rotated by means of a gear 33 meshing with agear 34 which is carried by the blanket cylinder I6.

Carried by the yoke 28 below the roller 24 is a cross bar 35 which carries a transverse blade the roller in the event that it is not gripped by the gripper jaws to be presently described.

Cooperating with the blanket cylinder I6 is a .horizontal cylinder 31 carried by a shaft 38 tion thereof is shown in the drawings.

mounted in suitable bearings in the side plates of 4 vvided for rotating the said cylinders, and as shown, there is a transverse shaft 46 rotatable in the side plates of the machine, this shaft carrying a gear 48 meshing with the gear 42 for the plate cylinder 31. At one side of the machine, as for instance at the left side, as shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 46 carries a sprocket 58. A main power shaft 52 is provided which extends transversely of the machine and which is provided with a belt pulley 54 between the side plates. A belt 56 extends over the pulley 54 and over another pulley not shown in the base of the machine, the latter pulley being driven by an electric motor or other suitable source of power.

The shaft 52 carries a sprocket 58 and a chain 59 passes over the sprockets 58 and 50, thus transmitting power from the main shaft 52 to the shaft 46 and thence to the lcylinders 31 and I6.

The lithographie plate 48 may be a sheet of paper properly prepared to be receptive to an image formed by the application thereto of ink or other material of a greasy character. During theprinting process the lithographie sheet or plate is maintained in a moist condition and greasy ink is applied thereto which adheres to the greasy portions constituting the image to be printed, but is repelled by the other portions of the plate which are moistened. Then the ink is transferred from the lithographie plate 4U to the printingblanket 20 which in turn applies the ink to the successive sheets of paper to be printed, the latter being fed into the bite between the blanket cylinder and the pressure roller.

Referring particularly to Fig. 8, there is provided a roller 60 formed of a suitable porous material such as felt or cellulose sponge, the said roller` being in contact with the plate 40 on the cylinder 31 and serving to moisten the said plate. The porous roller 60 is maintained in moist condition Yand moisture is supplied thereto by a suitable body of moist porous material such as indicated at 6I; Moisture is supplied at a regulated rate to the body of material 6| from a reservoir 62, wicks 63 being provided for this purpose.

Ink is applied to the plate 48 on the cylinder 31 by means of an ink applying roller 64 and ink is ,supplied to the surface of the roller 54 by means of ink reservoir rollers 66, 66 and 68. The several ink rollers may be mounted in a separate frame 69 which is suitably supported on the main frame.

YThe ink rollers and the frame therefor may be fed to the bite between the blanket cylinder I6 v and the pressure roller 24 by means of a suitable feeding mechanism located at the front of the machine. This feeding mechanism is preferably a separate, detachable unit and only the rear por- The unit comprises a suitable framework 14, the rear end of which is supported on the mainframe of the 3machine. Carried bythe framework 14 is ay plurality of rearward or inwardly moving belts 16,

16, these belts being supported on the frame by means of suitable rollers 18 and 88. Flat strips 3|, 8l overlie the belts 16, 16 for guiding and con trolling the sheets carried by the said belts. At the front of the feeding unit, but not shown in the drawings, is a suitable mechanism for lifting successive sheets of paper from a stack and feeding. them onto the belts 16. This feeding mechanism may be of any usual or preferred type and does not of itself constitute any part of the present invention.

Extending transversely between the main side plates of the machine is a shelf 82, the upper surface of which is in alignment with'the bite between the blanket cylinder I6 and the pressure roller 24. The belts 16 are so arranged with relation to the shelf 82 that the successive sheets of paper are delivered thereto, one of the sheets being indicated at A in Fig. '1. It will be understood that the thickness of the sheet A is considerably exaggerated in the drawing. The iiat strips 8l, 8l extend over the shelf 82.

A plurality of stops is provided, the said stops being normally in the path of movement of the successive sheets of paper from the belts 16, 16 to the said bite between the cylinder i6 and the roller 24. These stops serve to arrest the inward movement of each sheet and means is Vprovided for moving the stops out of the said path of the paper sheets to permit each successive sheet to move into the said bite in proper relation to the blanket roll to effect printing.

Preferably, and as shown, the shelf 82 isvprovided with a plurality of notches and stops 84, 84 are provided which normally project upward through the said notches into the path 0i the paper. As shown more clearly in 7, the said stops 84 are mounted on a transverse rockshaft 36 extending transversely of the machine. One or more springs 38 bias the stops and the rockshaft for movement in the clockwise direction so that the stops are normally held in their projecting positions, as shown in Fig. l, and also shown in Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the rockshaft 86 'carries an inwardly eX- tending arm 86. The rear end of the arm @il engages a cam 9?. on the shaft E8 lwhich carries the blanket cylinder l5. The cam is so shaped that the arm is held by the springs S8 in its upper position during' the greater part of the rotation of the cam, the stops 64 being then in their projecting positions. The shape of the cam is such that at a suitable time during each revolution a rise 3 on the said ca rn moves the arm 96 downward so as to rock theshaft B6 and move the stops 84, 84 downward out of the path of the sheet of paper, as shown in Fig. 7, the sheet then being moved inwardly by the belts 16, 16 into the bite between the cylinder i5 and the roller 24. The cam then permits the arm S8 to move upward thus restoring the stops to their projecting positions so that they can arrest the movement of the next following sheet of paper. The timing is such that the stops are withdrawn at'the proper instant to permit the sheet of paper to be moved into the bite to effect printing on each sheet in the proper position.

As each sheet of paper emerges at the rear from the bite between the cylinder i6 and the roller 24, it is engaged by a suitable transfer means which guides it for movement in the inward direction and preferably for movement in a direction which is not only inward, but also inclined downward. vThe details of the transfer means may be varied, but the said means preferably comprises a plurality of pairs of gripper jaws 94 and 96. The gripper jaws 94 and 96 are carried by a yoke 98, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. The yoke is provided at its ends with rollers |00, |00, and |I, I0| which are movable in channelshaped tracks |02, |03 carried by the respective main side plates |0 and I2. These tracks are preferably inclined downward as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The yoke 90 carrying the gripper jaws is reciprocable along the tracks |02, |03 and for this purpose there is provided a stud |04 in each of the side frames of the machine and on each stud is pivoted an upward extending arm |06. Each arm |06 is slotted near its top to receive a pin |08 carried by the corresponding end of the yoke 98. It will be seen that oscillation of the arms |06, |06 on the stud |04 causes reciprocation of the yoke 98 and of the gripper jaws 94 and 96. 4

For oscillating the arms |06, |06 and yokes 90 a gear ||0 is provided which is closely adjacent the left side plate and which is mounted on a shaft I extending between the side plates. The gear ||0 or a disk secured thereto has a cam groove ||2 in the outer face thereof. The gear ||0 meshes with a pinion I|4 on the main power shaft 52. A slide |I6 is provided which is reciprocable forward and rearward in a bracket this slide carrying at its forward end a follower roll which is entered in the cam groove ||2. A link ||8 connects .the rear end of the slide ||6 with the adjacent arm |05. The cam groove I I2, the slide |I6, the bracket and the link II8 are preferably duplicated at the rightlside of the paper as it is advanced by the belts 16. In fact,

the gripper jaws in their outer upper positions are preferably within the recess 22 of the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, being thus located more assuredly to receive and engage the advancing edge of the sheet of paper. The advancing movement of the sheet is arrested by the gripper jaws and the sheet is momentarily held in place. The grippers now close on the sheet and remain at rest while the roll I6 rotates until it forms a bite with roll 24.

The gripper jaw 94 is preferably a long bar extending transversely between the ends of the yoke 98.

and are secured to a transverse rockshaft |20 which is carried by and is movable with the yoke. Springs |2I, |2| connected with the rockshaft and the jaws bias the jaws 96, 96 upward to force them against the jaw 94 to grip the sheets of paper., The bar or jaw 94 preferably carries an 'angle bar |22 which assists in guiding the front edge of each sheet into position between the jaws. The bar 94 has a plurality of recesses |23 spaced in conformity with the spacing of the jaws 96, 96, and each jaw 96 has a lug |24 which extends upward into the corresponding recess. The several lugs |24 serve as stops to establish a predetermined relationship between the jaws 'and the front edge of the sheet of paper. Fig. 5

When that occurs the gripperjaws move forwardly and downwardly lat the same peripheral speed as the roll |6.

The gripper jaws 96, 96 are spacedk transversely at intervals along the bar or jaw 94 shows a fragment of the sheet A engaged between thejaws.

Secured to one end of the rockshaft |20, as for instance the left end, is an arm |25 carrying a roller |26. A downwardly inclined plate I 28 is positioned adjacent the path of movement of the roller |26, as shown in Fig. -8, and

when the yoke and the jaws are in their forward upper positions, the roller engages the top of the plate. The plate |28 is carried on the lower end of a slide |29 and the said side is provided at its upper end with a roller |30 adapted to be engaged by a cam |3| at the left end of the cylinder 37. The position of the cam |3| is such that it serves to move the slide |29 and the plate |28 upward just before the front edge of the advancing sheet of paper reaches the jaws 94 and 96. The upward movement of the plate |28 turns the arm |25 in the counterclockwise direction, thus moving the jaws 96, 96 downward to open and receive the front edge of the sheet of paper. Immediately thereafter the cam |3| passes from beneath the roller |30, thus permitting the plate |28 to move downward and causing the jaws 96, 96 to move upward to grip the sheet of paper. Thereupon the jaws are moved downward and inward at the same speed as the paper in the manner already described. When the jaws reach the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, the roller |26 engages a stationary cam |32 fast upon the track |03 which causes the arm |25 again to turn in the counterclockwise direction, thus moving the jaws 96 downward to release the sheet of paper.

When each sheet of paper is released from the gripper jaws it may be further advanced by the feeding action of the rolls I6 and 24 and then deposited on a suitable carrier means which serves eventually to move the said sheetv outwardly beneath the pressure roller 24 and to deliver it at the front of the machine. The carrier means, as shown, includes a plurality of endless belts |33, I 33 which pass 4over rollers |34 and |35, the belts being moved in the direction to carry the sheets of paper outwardly. The roller |35 is mounted on a shaft |36 which is provided at one end, for instance at its left end, with a belt pulley |38. A belt pulley is provided on the main power shaft 52 and a belt |42 passing over the pulleys I 38 and |40 serves to rotate the shaft |36 and to thus operate the belts |33, |33.

The carrier means preferably also includes a plurality of other belts 44, |44 which are in substantial register with the belts 33, |33 but which move in the opposite direction, that is, in the rearward direction. `'Ihe'belts |44, |44 are mounted on rollers |46 and |48 carried by a frame |50. This frame is supported by cross rods |52 and |54 extending between the main side plates. A gear |56 is connected with the roller I 34, this meshing with a gear |58 connected with the roller |46. This gearing serves to drive the belts |44 and the ratio of the gearing is such that the belts |44, |44Y are moved at a much lower speed than that of the belts |33, |33. Preferably, the frame carries a plate |60 in substantial register with the tops of the belts |44, |44 and is similarly inclined. Preferably, the plate |60 has a rectangular opening |6| through which the tops of the belts |44, |44 are exposed.

The number of outward moving belts |33. |33 Vis substantially larger than the number of rearward moving belts |44, |44, and as shown. there 7 are four belts |33, |33' and two belts |44, |44. The rear portions of the belts |33, |33 are slightly higher than the forward portions of the belts |44.

When the front edge of each sheet of paper is disengaged by the gripper jaws 94, 96 the said front edge drops onto the rearward moving belts |44', |44, the inward movement being thus continued so as to avoid any tendency to buckle the sheet. The sheet may move approximately to the position shown at BV in Fig. 7, the rear por-tion of the sheet and the side portions thereof being supported by the plate |69.

A plurality of stationary, preferably resilient, fingers |62, |62 is provided, these fingers being spaced upward from the plate |60. As shown, the fingers |62, |62 are supported by a cross bar |65. Each finger |62 is so positioned that it is between two of the gripper jaws 96, S6 when the latter are in their inward positions. The jaw 94 and the angle bar |22 are provided with notches |64, |54 to provide clearance for the fingers. The front portions of these fingers |62, |62 engage the advancing edge of each sheet of paper to insure its full release from the gripper jaws, and the ngers then guide the front portion of the inwardly moving sheet downward onto the inwardly moving belts |44, |44.

As will be more fully understood from Figs. 9 and l0, a support is provided beneath the path of inward movement of the successive sheets of paper, the said support being near the front of the inwardly moving belts |44, |44 and near the rear of the outwardly moving belts |33, |33. The supports is reciprocable upward and down- Ward in synchronism with the outward movement of the successive sheets and its movements are so timed that it is in its upper position so as to momentarily support each sheet during outward movement after it has been disengaged by the transfer means, that is, by the gripper jaws 94, 96. Preferably, the support comprises one or more fingers |65, |65 secured to a transverse rockshaft |65 carried by the frame |50. The rockshaft |66 carries an arm |68 which is engaged by the gripper jaw yoke 58, the supporting ngers thus being swung to their upper positions as shown in Fig. l when the gripper jaws approach their inner positions. As the gripper jaws again move forward the supporting fingers |65, |65 are swung downward to their lower positions to permit the forward portion of the sheet to engage the outward moving belts |33, |33. The supporting fingers |65 overlap the rear roller |34 for the belts |33, I 33, and the roller has grooves |70 for receiving them.

Referring more particularly to Figs.- '7, 8, 9 and 10, it will be apparent that each successive sheet of paper is engaged by the gripper jaws S4, 96 as it emerges from the bite between the cylinder I6 and the roller 24. The sheet is moved inward and downward by the gripper jaws and when the front edge of the sheet is released by the gripper jaws it is engaged by the fingers |62, |62, as shown in Fig. 10, which insure its disengagement from the jaws and which guide' it downward into engagement with the inward moving belts |45, |44. At the same time the supporting fingers |65 are elevated from the positions shown in Figs. 7 and 9 to the positions shown in Fig. l0, the fingers thus engaging the sheet and preventing its engagement with the outward moving belts |33, |33. The inward moving belts |44, |44, assisted by the momentum *ofy movement, carry the sheet inward approxi- 'mately' to the position indicated at B in Fig. '7.

By the time the sheet has reached the last said position the supporting ngers |65 have been lowered, thus bringing the rear portion of the sheet into contact with the. outward moving belts |33, |33. The sheet then moves outwardly, partly because of the inclination, partly because of the slightly higher position of the belts |33, |33, partly because of the greater number of the belts |33, |33, and partly because of the greater speed of the belts |33, |33. The sheetA is carried by the belts |33, |33 to the position shown at C in Fig. '7, and then it drops into a suitable receptacle |12.

Having thus disclosed the invention and described in detail a specific embodiment thereof for purposes of illustration, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a printing machine having a blanket cylinder and a cooperating pressure roller, transfer means for engaging each successive sheet of paper at the rear of the bite of the cylinder and roller and for guiding it rearward, rearward movable carrier belts for receiving each successive sheet of paper from the transfer means, forward movable carrier belts for receiving each successive sheet from the rearward moving belts and for moving it outward beneath the pressure roller, and a support beneath the path of rearward movement of the successive sheets under the guidance of the transfer means, the said support being near the front of the rearward moving belts and near the rear of the forward moving belts and the said support being reciprocable upward and downward in synchronism with the rearward moment of the successive sheets and being in its upper position to momentarily support each sheet during rearward movement after it has been disengaged by the transfer means.

2. In a printing machine having a blanket cylinder and a cooperating pressure roller, transfer means for engaging each successive sheet of paper at the rear of the bite of the cylinder and roller and for guiding it rearward, rearward movable upward inclined carrier belts for receiving each successive sheet of paper from the transfer means, forward movable downward inclined carrier belts having a speed greater than that of the rearward moving belts for receiving each successive sheet from the said rearward moving belts and for moving it outward beneath the pressure roller, and a support beneath the path of rearward movement of the successive sheets under the guidance of the transfer means, the said support being near the front of the rearward moving belts and near the rear of the forward moving belts and the said support being reciprocable upward and downward in synchronism with the rearward moment of the successive sheets and being in its upper position to momentarily support each sheet during rearward movement after it has been disengaged by the transfer means.

3. In a printing machine having a blanket cylinder and a cooperating pressure roll, a yoke carrying gripping jaws, guideways in which opposite ends of the yoke are guided for reciprocation toward and from the bite of the cylinder and pressure roll, movable fingers underlying the path of the yoke, spring means normally locating the fingers in position to receive successive sheets delivered by said jaws, feed belts running in a path beneath said fingers and in spaced relation thereto, and an arm connected to said fingers and located in the path of movement of said yoke :acconto and operated by contact therewith `for lowering the fingers to deposit a sheet on said belts.

4. lA printing machine as described in claim 3 in which the feed belts run over rolls having grooves therein to receive the said fingers when the latter are moved into delivering position.

5. In -a printing machine having a blanket cylinder and a cooperatingr pressure roll, a yoke carrying a two-part gripper, rearwardly and downwardly inclined guideways in which the opposite ends of the yoke are guided for reciprocation toward and from the bite of the cylinder and roll, an arm mounted for swinging movement on said yoke and operatively connected to one part of the gripper and having a cam roll thereon, and a cam disposed on the guideway to lift said cam roll and swing said arm into gripper opening position during the movement of the yoke in the guideway.

6. In a printing machine in which a sheet is advanced for printing through a rotary printing couple, gripper elements mounted for reciprocal movement in the direction toward and away from the printing couple with movement in the direction away from the printing couple being at a speed substantially corresponding to that of the printing couple, means for rendering said gripper elements effective when adjacent the printing couple to establish a gripping relation with the leading edge of the sheet as it emerges from the couple, other means for rendering the gripping elements inoperative near the end of travel away from the printing couple to release the leading edge of the sheet, a conveyor belt assembly located below the release position for conveying the sheet further in a direction away from the printing couple, guide ngers located above the belt in the near vicinity of the release position for deecting the sheet downwardly upon the belt system upon release by the clamping elements.

7. In a printing machine in which a sheet is advanced for printing through a rotary printing couple, gripper jaw mounted for-reciprocal travel in the direction toward and away from the printing couple, guide members downwardly and rearwardly inclined for guiding movement of said gripper jaws in a corresponding direction, means for rendering said gripper jaws effective when in the vicinity of the printing couple to establish a gripping relation with the leading edge of the sheet as it emerges therefrom, other means at the end oftravel of the gripping jaws away from the couple for rendering said gripping jaws ineffective to release the leading edge of the sheet, a conveyor belt assembly located below the gripping jaws when in release position for conveying the sheet further in the direction away from the printing couple, guide elements located above the belt for cooperation with the gripping jaws in the near vicinity of the release position for guiding the sheet downwardly upon the belt system upon release from the gripping jaws.

8. A printing machine as claimed in claim 7,

in which the means at the end of travel away from the couple for rendering the gripping jaws ineffective comprises a cam system for camming the gripping jaws apart to release the sheet.

9. In a printing machine in which a sheet is passed for printing between a rotary printing couple, transfer means operative to grip the leading edge of the sheet as it emerges from the printing couple and to carry it in the direction away from the printing couple at a speed substantially corresponding to the speed of the couple, means for rendering said transfer means 10 eiective for gripping the leading edge of the sheet when in position adjacent the couple and for rendering same ineffective for releasing said sheet when at a predetermined distance from the printing couple, a belt system including endless belts traveling in the direction in which the sheet is delivered, and a separate group of belts traveling in the opposite direction and arranged whereby a portion of the sheet delivered by the transfer means first engages the rst set of belts and successively engages the second set 0f belts whereby thesheet is carried therewith for delivery. Y

10. In a printing machine in which a sheet is passed for printing between a rotary printing couple, transfer' means to grip the leading edger of the sheet as it emerges from the printing couple and carry it in the direction away from the couple at a speed corresponding to the speed of the couple, means for rendering said transfer means elfective for establishing a gripping relation with the leading edge of the sheet when it emerges from the printing couple and for rendering same ineffective for releasing said sheet when at a predetermined distance from the printing couple, a belt system including endless belts traveling in the direction in which the sheet is delivered and a second set of belts substantially in alignment with rst but traveling in opposite direction, said belts being arranged With respect to the transfer means whereby a portion of the sheet upon release rst engages the rst set of belts and travels a short distance therewith until the remainder of the sheet engages the second set of belts which is effective to cause the sheet to travel in the opposite direction therewith for delivery.

11. In a printing machine as claimed in claim l0 in which rearwardly and downwardly inclined guide members are provided as a part of the transfer means for guiding said transfer elements in a corresponding direction toward and away from the printing couple.

12. A printing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which the iirst set of belts is arranged to provide a surface traveling rearwardly at an upward incline and the second set of belts are arranged to travel forwardly in a downward in- 13. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which the linear speed of the rst set of belts is less than that of the second set of belts and the surface area of the first set of belts per increment of length is less than that of the second set whereby the frictional forces developed upon sheet contact with the second set of belts is substantially greater than that established upon contact with the rst set of belts whereby the second set of belts becomes effective to cause the sheet to travel therewith notwithstanding its simultaneous contact with the rst set of belts.

14. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which the rst and second set of belts are aligned in end to end relation with the rearward end portion of the ,second set of belts being at a slightly higher level than the adjacent end portion of the first set of belts.

15. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which a guide linger is mounted for cooperation with the transfer means in release position to deflect the sheet upon release from the transfer means downwardly upon the belt system.

16. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which a guide arm is mounted for swinging movement lin the region of the release position 'for the transfer means to support the sheet from contact with the second set of belts until released by the transfer means and then to permit the trailing end portion of the sheet to drop onto the second set of ,belts which drag the sheet therewith for delivery.

CLYDE W. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date White Sept. 20, 1904 Friess Oct. 8, 1918 Curtis July 11, 1939 Presby Aug. 27, 1940 Davidson et al Aug. 20, 1946 4Davidson et al. Feb. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Germany Deel2, 1914 

